Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Colin frowns as he drops his hand from behind his neck. “Miles was all fucking over you, Leni. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that you’ve transitioned from just friends to—” he grimaces as he looks away “—Lovers,” he finishes a second later.
Did I say I was confused a second ago? Back then I was only slightly off-kilter. Now I’m stunned.
This big lug is so exasperating! After admitting to actively ignoring me in the gym, he pulls this craziness out of his ass?
“Miles is my best friend,” I remind him. “Always has been and always will be. He is not now, nor will he ever be, anything other than that. It’d be like you sleeping with Sam or Lolo. We’re no more and no less affectionate than you are with them. There’s nothing sexual between the three of you and nothing sexual with Miles and me. He’s like a brother—”
I get no further because in the blink of an eye he's covered the space between us. With one arm he pulls me against his chest. His free hand traces the curve of my face as he leans in close and covers my mouth with his. If I live to be one hundred and nine, I'll never get over the way it feels to be kissed by Colin Findlay because he owns me with each and every one.
My senses are overloaded with Colin—the taste, the feeling of his muscular body beneath my fingers, the scent that I'm insanely addicted to. I haven't seen him in weeks, but there's absolutely no discomfort. Being in his arms is where I feel most at home.
I shiver as he threads his fingers through my hair just above the nape of my neck, the gesture proprietary, and oh-so-him. I grumble as he lifts his lips from mine, unwilling to break the connection. Taking control, I reach up, grab his chin and pull him back in to extend the kiss. His warm chuckle tells me that he has no problem with my forcing the issue.
Suddenly we're moving. It's my turn to laugh when I feel the counter behind me. Gripping my waist, he lifts me up and sits me on the edge before pulling his lips away again. Raising his hands, he cups either side of my face and looks at me.
“God, I fucking missed you. These past two months have been torture, baby. If you ever spend so much as two minutes avoiding me again, I’m going to lose my shit.”
I can’t help narrowing my eyes. “You’re the one who told me we were making a mistake,” I remind him.
“How you took it is not at all what I meant to say,” he growls. “You make it sound like I said I didn’t want to be with you and nothing could be further from the truth.”
"Well, that's what I heard," I admit. "To me, every word out of your mouth sounded an awful lot like someone who wanted to get as far away from me as possible."
“What I was trying to say back then—apparently poorly—was that I didn’t think it was fair to you to start a long distance relationship. You kept your virginity for a reason, and I didn't want to do anything to take away from how monumental that is. Making love and then being separated from you wasn't okay with me. You're young and in college and I'm—"
I raise my hand between us and slap it over his mouth. "I swear if you say old I'm going to pitch a fit. The argument was ridiculous then, and I guarantee it'll be the one thing in this room that hasn't aged well if you say it again."
He chuckles before nipping at my palm playfully so that I’ll remove my hand. “What I’m saying is that I want a lot from you, Leni. I needed you to have the option to wait, especially once I knew you were a virgin. Me living two hours away and you dealing with college douchebags hitting on you all the time wasn’t how I wanted us to start our relationship.”
My eyes go wide at his use of the R-word.
“Relationship?” I ask with an endless well of hope in my tone.
“You see me here right now?” he asks.
I nod.
“I came home for you because I’m in love with you. Relationship is way too fucking tame a way to describe what I want us to share.”
A huge smile breaks out on my face as I lean in closer. “I love you, too,” I murmur.
As his lips cover mine, I don't think I've ever been happier—until a dose of reality slaps me upside the head. Tearing my mouth from his, I grimace.
“But what about the university? They made it very clear today that if anyone gets caught, shit will hit the fan. I don’t want you to lose your job!”